Apparatus for regulating the temperature of the oil contained in the sumps of internal-combustion engines



June KG, 193%. 5 c BELHELD 1,762,464

APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE OIL CONTAINED IN THESUMP OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 6, 1929 Patented June 10, 1930 TES PATENT OFFIC STAFFORD CONWAY IBELFIELD, OF TWICKENHAM,ENGLAND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING TH E TEMPERATURE OF THE OIL CONTAINEDIN THE SUMPS OF INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES Application fil ed July 6,1929, Serial No. 376,442, and in Great Britain June 29, 1928.

This invention relates to an apparatus for regulating the temperature ofthe lubricating oil contained in the sump of an internal combustionengine.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will allowa uniform and constant temperature of the oil to be maintained under allworking conditions. As is well known, in relatively cold weather, and

after the engine has been stationary for some length of time, the oil isliable to become viscous, and .tends to impair the efliciency of theengine, whereas on the other hand, after the engine has been running fora certain period,

the oil is apt to exceed the desirable maximum temperature, thus ,losingits viscosity, and causing the engine to overheat.

The apparatus according to the present invention consists, broadlyspeaking, of a hollow member or heat transfer conduit which is locatedin the engine sump of an internal combustion engine, and which, by meansof a three-way valve, operated either manually or automatically, allowspassage of a heating or cooling agent through the hollow member which isimmersed in the oil or, prevents the passage of the heating or coolingagent. The outer air, for example, may be employed as the cooling agent,whilst the exhaust gas from the engine may be used as the heating agent.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawing, in which the same reference characters are employed in thedifferent figures to denote the same parts.

Fig. 1 is a section showing the apparatus,

built into the engine sump of an internal combustion engine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3is a detail section to alarger scale of the three-way valve, showing the position of the saidvalve when the cooling agent is' allowed to enter the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a similar section of the three-way valve, showing the positionof the said valve when both the cooling agent and the heating agent areprevented from entering the appa ratus.

Fig, 5 is a similar section of the three-Way valve, showing the positionof the said valve when the heating agent is allowed to enter theapparatus.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an engine sump, theoil temperature regulating apparatus attached thereto, and thermostaticmeans for automatically controlling the admission of heating and coolingagents to the apparatus.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of a valve showing means forautomatically returning the latter to its closed position when the valvecontrolling means breaks.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure7 In the drawing, a is the hollow member through which the heating orcooling agent is passed, and which may be composed of one piece, orfurnished with thin tubes b, and constructed in flat, curved, or anyother form as desired as found most convenient to fit in the sump. Itwill be observed that the hollow members a and the intervening tubes 6together constitute a heat transfer conduit for cooling or heating theoil in the sump as desired. At the front of the apparatus is provided avalve 0 in which a rotatable plug (2 is mounted and in this example, isoperated by the small wheel 9, which, in turn, can be rotated by aninner flexible wire or cable It sliding in an outer flexible sheathingj. In front of the valve 0 is provided a. funnel e for more readlyconducting the outer air serving as the cooling agent, through thehollow member a and the pipes b. A gauze or other suitable filter is maybe inserted in funnel e to prevent foreign matter from entering theapparatus. 7 is a pipe leading to the side of the valve 0 and to asuitable point in the exhaust system in the internal combustion engine,andserv ing to conduct the hot gases through the valve to the hollowmember a and pipes b.

Zis an outlet pipe communicating with the hollow member a anda pointexterior there of. This outlet is located at the opposite end of themember a from that t'o'which the valve 0 is connected, and serves as ameans of egress for either the heating agent or-the cooling agent,depending upon the position of the vented from entering the conduit. h

In Fig. 5, the plug d of the valve 0 is in such a position that thecooling agent from 'the funnel e is effectively sealed from entering theconduit, whilst the heating agent from the pipe f is conducted into theconduit.

Instead of operating the plug 03 of the valve 0 manually by means of theflexible wire it in flexible sheathing 7', or by means of rods connectedthrough hell crank levers, it may be controlled automatically by meansof thermostatic apparatus. Such an apparatus is illustrated in Figure 6in which there isshown diagrammatically a thermostat m to which isconnected a Bowden wire 71. mounted for sliding movements in a sheath j,the wire 72. being connected to the valve operating wheel 9. When thetemperature of the oil-in the engine sump is raised above apredetermined point the thermostat moves the mediumof the Bowden wire itto the position shown in Figure 3 in which position of the valve acooling agent is admitted to the hollow member a. When the temperatureof .the oil drops below a predetermined value the thermostat moves thevalve sition shown in Figure 5 for ing agent to the hollow member. Theinlet for the coolin medium should be situated preferably att e front ofthe apparatus when applied to internal combustion engines onautomobiles'or aircraft, and the like, so that there is an unrestrictedflow of cool air right through the apparatus. In the case either of amanually or automatically operated valve, provision may be made in whichshould the controlling mechanism cease to function the valve willautomaticall return to anyselected position, prefera ly the off positionas shown in Fig. 4, as it is: found that this position will in generalbe most used and will prevent any damage being caused to the plug d tothe poworking parts of the engine. A. means for effecting this automaticmovement of the valve to its closed'positon in case the controllingmechamsm ceases to function is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 in whichit will be seen the valve operating wheel 9 is provided the valve dthrough ofi'. I It is, of course, distlnctly understodd that I donotrestrict myself to the particular form admitting a heatconnected tosaid conduit for admitting on its lower facewith two downwardlyextending pins n 12, between which is positioned the'free end of aleafspring 0 attached at its other end to a lug 37. It will be seen that thespring 0 tends to move the valve plug 6. to the position shown in Fiures 4, 7 'and 8, in which position the valve plug cuts offcommunication between the hollow member a and the funnel e and pipe frespectively. If the valve plug is in either of the ositions shown inFigures 3 or 5 and the other part of the controlling apparatus ceases tofunction, the spring 0 will return the valve to the position shown inFigures 4, 7 and 8. When the control is effected manually, the necessarycontrol mechanism will be mounted at a suitable point within easyaccess, for example, in the case of an automobile or aircraft on thedashboard, and a thermometer or other means for indicating thetemperature owden wire k, or

of the oil in the sump may be provided so that I the dial of theinstrument will preferably be adjacent to the control. If the regulationis efiected automatically, the provision of a thermometer is alsodesirable in order that the operator may observe if the thermostat isfunctioning correctly.

The apparatus may be composed of metal,

for example copper, or any other suitable material, and it is notessential that it shall' of embodiment shown, but that various otherforms may be employed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim is 1. An apparatus for regulating the temperature of thelubricating oil contained in the sump of an internal combustion enginecomprising a heat transfer conduit located 1n said sump and immersed inthe oil, air inlet means arranged to communicate with the outer air andada ted to be connected to said conduit for admitting air thereto,exhaust gas inlet means arranged to communicate with the engine exhaustand adapted tohb:

o exhaust gases thereto, and a valve interposed between the respectiveinlet means and said conduit and adapted to lace said conduit incommunication with either of said inlet means and also adapted to closecommunica tion between said conduit and both of said inlet meanssimultaneously.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in 'which valve actuatingmeansresponsive to vided for automatically actuating the valve.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 including valve actuating meansoperatively connected to said valve and means associated 5 with thevalve and constantly urging the latter to a cut-oil position forautomatlcally closing said valve when said actuating means breaks. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname'this 28th day of June, 1929.

STAFFORD CONWAY BELFIELD.

